ABSTRACT

This essay discusses international influences on the Arab-Israeli conflict and the peace process. It addresses the current international situation of US hegemony vis-à-vis the Middle East and its beneficial effects on the regional peace process. Yet this hegemony may not endure over the long run and may be replaced by three alternative scenarios: US disengagement from the Middle East that will lead to a great-power vacuum in the region; the competitive involvement of other major powers (notably Russia and China) in the region alongside the US; and the co-operative involvement of several status quo powers. The essay discusses the likelihood of these alternative scenarios, as well as their potential implications for regional security. It shows that the current international situation of US hegemony is the most beneficial for progress in the Middle East peace process.